The asphalt industry continues to benefit from rapid technological innovation, with new products emerging across fleet management, plant automation, grade control, and compaction monitoring. These solutions help contractors improve efficiency, reduce downtime, enhance material quality, and strengthen security across job sites. For a broader perspective on how digital tools are reshaping pavement construction, see How 3d Paving Technology Transforms Concrete and Asphalt. This article surveys notable technology products released for the asphalt sector, examining their features, applications, and operational benefits.
Fleet Management and Asset Tracking Solutions
Managing a fleet of heavy equipment across multiple job sites requires real-time visibility into asset location, utilization, and maintenance status. Several technology products now address these needs by combining GPS tracking, telematics, and software analytics into integrated solutions.
LoJack Asset Management Solution
LoJack offers a GPS-based asset management platform for heavy equipment fleet managers. The system provides real-time asset location through GPS data and geofencing alerts that notify managers when equipment moves outside designated boundaries. When paired with the company’s stolen vehicle recovery system, it also delivers theft protection. Key features include:
- Daily engine hour reporting for maintenance planning and accurate customer billing
- User-defined reports that track equipment utilization trends across the fleet
- Customizable maintenance scheduling based on actual machine usage data
- Real-time geofencing alerts for unauthorized equipment movement
HeistProof Plus from BulletProof Electronics
HeistProof Plus combines proactive anti-theft capabilities with fleet management functions. The system restricts equipment operation to authorized workers and provides a GPS Intelligence Center with an intuitive interface for monitoring assets. All statistical reports are stored on secure servers for up to two years, and the solution scales across fleets of any size.
Spectrum Equipment Service System from Dexter + Chaney
The Spectrum Equipment Service System electronically collects asset management data including equipment hours, fuel usage, and maintenance records. The system triggers maintenance activities by sending automated alerts and captures the equipment meter reading each time a task is performed. A built-in cellular modem relays data to the Spectrum Construction Software. The system includes three components: the onboard Equipment Monitor, a Field Master touch-screen display for service trucks, and a Fuel Controller for managing fuel dispensing and tracking.
TrakitALL Asset Locating and Logistics Module
Designed for the ready-mix, asphalt, and aggregate industries, the TrakitALL Asset Locating and Logistics module helps users track, secure, and manage production and hauling hardware assets. The system enables quick location of available equipment near any given address, hotspot, vehicle, or driver and includes a remote wireless satellite transmitter with an integrated GPS chipset and motion sensor.
Plant Automation and Production Control Systems
Asphalt plant operations have become increasingly automated, with systems handling everything from truck ticketing to burner management and enterprise-wide data reporting. These technologies reduce manual data entry, improve accuracy, and provide plant managers with real-time visibility into production metrics. For a detailed look at plant equipment and production workflows, see Asphalt Plants and Pavement Construction Equipment a Complete.
ATK Automated Ticketing Kiosk
The ATK automated ticketing kiosk from Rice Lake Weighing Systems automates every step from point-of-sale through invoicing and account management. Built with NEMA 4 steel construction for durability in harsh plant environments, the kiosk handles truck identification, load assignment, weighing, and ticketing. It integrates with any facility’s central office and accounting system, reducing paperwork and eliminating manual ticket errors.
BatchTronic from Minds, Inc.
BatchTronic is a flexible plant control system available with one to four screens, including a zero-console option. An exact 3D representation of the actual plant reduces the learning curve for new operators. Ticketing capabilities handle customer files, truck files, job files, tare weight storage, multiple weighing modes, hauling zones, cash sales, and office integration.
BurnerLogix from Heatec
The BurnerLogix system provides advanced burner management for asphalt plants and can instantly pinpoint problems that cause plant shutdowns, minimizing downtime. The system includes three Fireye units with the display module mounted on the heater control panel face. Burner management controls deliver important messages about heater operating status, enabling operators to respond quickly.
WEM4000 Business Intelligence Server
The WEM4000 Business Intelligence Server collects and displays production information from all plant locations at a single point. Production totals, customer and job totals, truck haul times, material usage, and current silo inventory are all accessible from one dashboard. Built on .NET technology, the system allows access from the paving site, the office, or through a mobile phone, enabling operators to maximize production and maintain accurate inventory.
Management Dashboard from Libra Systems
The Management Dashboard provides a viewer into key real-time operating metrics. Operators can see what is happening across the company and compare current data against historical trends. All data is based on actual transactions, and each view can show company-wide or individual production site data. The system is highly configurable, allowing each user to tailor their own set of views.
VUEWorks 2009
VUEWorks 2009 is a web-based solution for municipalities and organizations to track asset condition, minimize failure risk, and prioritize expenditures. The scalable suite of software modules manages work processes, captures citizen concerns, and executes preventive maintenance. It incorporates condition assessment, risk analysis, valuation, budget forecasting, and project cost estimating into a single platform.
Grade Control and Paving Guidance Technology
Precision grade control has become a cornerstone of modern asphalt paving. Laser-guided systems, GPS-based machine control, and 3D grading technology allow operators to achieve tolerances that were difficult to maintain with manual methods. For more on how paving equipment and methods have evolved, see Asphalt and Concrete Paving Equipment Machine Technology Construction.
Bobcat Laser-Guided Grading Receivers
Bobcat’s laser-guided grading receivers allow grade elevation adjustment directly from the cab using Selectable Joystick Controls. Three speed ranges raise or lower the blade for smoother corrections, and a proportional valve provides more accurate moldboard adjustments. Three laser transmitters control attachments in flat-plane, single-slope, or dual-slope grading modes.
GS-506 Motorgrader System from MOBA Corporation
The GS-506 motor grader and dozer grade control system features five sensors controlling the blade, combining rotation, long-slope, and cross-slope measurements with the SonicSki+ and LS-3000 laser receiver. The modular design allows upgrades from a basic 2D grade and slope system to a full 3D control system using a robotic total station or GPS receiver.
Expanded AccuGrade System from Caterpillar
Caterpillar’s Expanded AccuGrade System now supports wheel loaders, wheel dozers, towed scrapers, soil compactors, and wheel tractor-scrapers in addition to existing configurations. Sky Plot allows operators to view GPS and GLONASS satellite availability, while wireless users can remotely retrieve radio settings, machine measurements, and valve calibration tables. Dynamic pitch control on motor graders maintains accuracy when rolling the blade during grading.
| Technology Type | Key Feature | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|
| Laser-Guided Grading | Cab-controlled elevation adjustment | Box blade and grader attachments |
| 2D/3D Grade Control | Modular upgrade from 2D to 3D | Motor graders and dozers |
| GPS/GLONASS Machine Control | Multi-satellite support with Sky Plot | Track-type tractors and excavators |
| Millimeter GPS Paving | Vertical accuracy within a few mm | Airport, highway, parking lot paving |
Millimeter GPS for Asphalt Pavers from Topcon
Topcon’s Millimeter GPS precise positioning technology brings extreme accuracy to asphalt paver operations. A single GPS system can be used for finish grading, trimming, profiling, and paving across airport, highway, and parking lot projects. Lazer Zone technology delivers vertical accuracy to within a few millimeters. The PZL 1 zone-beam laser transmitter sweeps a 2,000-foot-diameter area with a 33-foot-high wall of laser light, while the PZS MC compact sensor mounts on a mast attached to the paver toe arm.
Compaction Monitoring and Quality Control Systems
Achieving consistent compaction density is critical for asphalt pavement performance. Modern compaction monitoring systems provide real-time feedback to operators, enabling them to adjust rolling patterns on the fly and document achieved density. For safety considerations during hot mix asphalt compaction and handling, see Asphalt Safety Comprehensive Guide to Hazard Management in.
CCS900 Compaction Control System from Trimble
Trimble’s CCS900 Compaction Control System is available with the CM310 compaction sensor, which enables real-time display of material density to the compactor operator. The system helps operators compact subsurface material to a target density while tracking the number of passes. Post-compaction analysis identifies surface deficiencies, and grade control mistakes can be caught in real time. The system installs on any single-drum soil compactor.
Compaction Information System from Sakai America
Sakai’s Compaction Information System improves compaction quality for both asphalt and soil projects. The system links to a GPS receiver and provides real-time compaction information to the operator. A consistent roller pattern is developed and displayed on a color-coded monitor in the operator station. Site plans can be uploaded directly into the onboard computer via laptop or thumb drive, and a simple touch-screen control panel ensures quick access to all functions.
HCQ Asphalt Navigator from Hamm Compactors
The HCQ Asphalt Navigator features a network function enabling continuous data exchange via WLAN between several rollers compacting the same layer. This allows monitoring of the current compaction state across the entire site. The system determines the number of passes, asphalt temperature, and machine-related factors while accounting for asphalt type and rigidity. All values link to position data from a DGPS receiver to produce color-scaled temperature, pass, and compaction maps.
SMART Start System from Volvo Construction Equipment
The DD118HF and DD138HF eight-amplitude, high-frequency compactors feature Volvo’s SMART Start system. These machines deliver vibration frequencies of 3,400 and 3,200 vibrations per minute with up to 42,600 pounds of centrifugal force. An impact meter enables precise control of rolling speed to achieve the desired drum impact spacing, displayed on an easy-to-read, color-coded gauge.
Choosing the right combination of technology products depends on the size and scope of a contractor’s operations. Small fleets may benefit most from basic GPS tracking and a single plant automation module, while large multi-site operators may need integrated business intelligence servers, enterprise-wide asset management, and real-time compaction monitoring across multiple crews. When evaluating new technology, contractors should consider:
- Integration compatibility with existing software and hardware already in use
- Scalability to grow with the business without requiring a complete replacement
- Ease of adoption for operators and available training resources
- Return on investment through fuel savings, reduced downtime, and improved material quality
The range of technology products for the asphalt industry continues to expand, offering solutions for every aspect of production, paving, and quality control. Contractors who invest in these tools gain a measurable advantage through improved efficiency, better documentation, and higher quality outcomes.